Friends Help Friends
by Rais
Summary: Sixteen year old Lexi Higgins is trying to live life to the fullest, dealing with love, friendship, and a misfortune from her childhood. Racetrack, Mush, Skittery are the leads please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

"Extry! Extry!" It was August in the year of 1899. The streets of New York echoed once again with the voices of newsies. Sixteen-year-old Lexi Higgins wiped the sweat off of her forehead after a hard day's work of selling papes. She walked down to the other end of the docks, waiting for her friend to finish selling the last of his newspapers to his usual customers- the fishermen. Mush Meyers, also sixteen years old, was Lexi's best friend. They did almost everything together. They sold papes together, hung out together, shared the same bunks in the lodging house, you name it.

"You done sellin'?" she asked Mush as she approached him.

"Yep. Dere were real good headlines today." As a matter of fact, there was. It turns out that there had been a brutal murder in Harlem the previous night and a man in Queens just recently celebrated his 99th birthday. Not too many people live to be that age these days.

"Alrighty then, let's head back." The two headed back to the lodging house. The sun was close to setting. Lexi, Mush, and the other newsies were going to Medda's at night. At Medda's, they all eat, sing, dance, and have lots of fun.

"Lexi, do ya know if them newsies from the Bronx is comin'?" Of course, Lexi knew why Mush was asking. He was sweet on a girl newsie from the Bronx. Her name was Cassidy, or Cassie for short.

"Most likely, they'll come. They ain't too fah from Manhattan." Mush smiled inwardly at this. He was happy, excited, and hopeful.

They reached the newsboy's lodging house. A small building nestled and snug between two other ones. The statue stood tall in the center of the square. Lexi saw Bumlets, Snoddy, Jake, Pieater, Swifty, Specs and Skittery all standing around or sitting on the statue, either talking or laughing. The seven of them were probably the eldest of the newsies, plus Jack Kelly and David Jacobs, and were all really close as friends. Skittery, who was a year older than Lexi, was examining his hands, trying his hardest not to look over at Lexi. Lexi took a quick glance at the seven newsboys (more at Skittery than any of the others) and looked away. She had liked Skittery for three years, yet she still hasn't done anything about it. Mush knew this, of course, because he was her close friend, and so did Racetrack Higgins, her brother, and Crutchy and Kid Blink. They promised not to tell anybody or to drop hints to Skittery. Skittery thought that Lexi was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. The day he walked into that lodging house and asked Kloppman for a bunk, he noticed Lexi. She was different. Not just because she was the only girl in there, but because she was unique. Her dark brown hair, almost black, was straight and just reached her shoulders. Her eyes reminded him of his favorite candy- chocolate. She was tall for her age, unlike her brother, and her skin was tanned; almost golden as if rays of sunlight were shining off of it. The first month or so when he first became a newsie, Skittery felt good when he was around Lexi, but sort of shy. Jack Kelly, the leader of the Manhattan newsies, noticed this and hence, he got his name. He, too, did not do anything about his crush. The only people who knew that he really fell for Lexi Higgins were Bumlets, Swifty and Specs. Maybe Jack thought he liked her all those years back, too.

"Hiya, Lex! How was sellin'?" Race jumped up from his chair and patted his sister on the back. He had a cigar sticking out of the corner of his mouth. Racetrack Higgins was a short fellow. By just looking at him you could mistake him for a fifteen-year-old, but all his buds at Sheepshead Bay, where he sells his papes, know different. Race was seventeen and a baby-face. He shared some similar features as his sister, such as the dark hair and the chocolate-colored eyes, and the strong Italian accent, but that was about it, physically. Intellectually, they were both friendly, happy-go-lucky, and always cracking jokes. Race was a compulsive gambler, though, but he was good at it.

"Not bad, Race. Not bad at all," Lexi replied. She headed over towards Crutchy and Kid Blink, who were talking about their day. Mush was holding up a conversation with Race about Medda. Like all the newsies, he thought she was gorgeous.

Night-time quickly came and the newsies headed out on the streets for Medda's. Jack, or Cowboy as some call him, David and his sister, Sarah, were up ahead of the group followed by Racetrack, Mush, Crutchy, Kid Blink and Lexi, who were all excited. Bumlets, Snoddy, Jake, Pieater, Swifty, Specs and Skittery were walking behind them, with Les Jacobs, Boots, Snipeshooter, Ten Pen, and some of the little ones trailing behind. Not too many of the little newsies came, but several of them, like these few, came to have some fun.

The hall was already filled with newsies from all over New York. Up on the mezzanine were boys from Harlem, the Battery and Queens. Down below were the boys from Brooklyn, the Bronx, and now Manhattan. There was always a good air around here, so the roaring crowd didn't bother anybody. Everyone was carefree and enjoying their time here. They always did.

To Mush's pleasant surprise, Cassie was sitting at a table by herself. He put a smile on his face and pulled up a chair next to her and the two of them started talking.

Lexi took a table with Spot Conlon, the leader of the Brooklyn newsies and the toughest of them all. He was like a king to them all. Everyone respected Spot, even Jack. The two were good friends.

"How's it goin' Lexi?" he asked her as he took a sip from his glass.

"It's goin' good, Spot. You?"

Spot shook his head. "Eh, not too good, I'm guessin' meself."

"What's the matta'? It's your goil, ain't it?"

Spot had a girl, Macy. They were on and off all the time. He had a key dangling around his neck. He didn't know where it really lead to, only telling Macy that it was the key to his heart. Lexi noticed it was back on his neck. "Yeah. We broke it off again. And this time, it's for good."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Her old lady wants her to get married to this chum who works at a factory in upstate. She didn't think it was too bad an idea, so she gave his back," he said, fingering the key on his chain. He sighed. "She's only sixteen, like you'se are. She can't get married. That's wrong."

"Whoa. But don't she still love ya, Spot? If she did, she would have kept it."

"Guess she doesn't." He poured some water in Lexi's cup and took his own, which was filled with alcohol. Lexi didn't mind this; it wasn't her problem if got pig drunk or not. "Cheers," Spot said as he tipped his glass up to Lexi's.

"Cheers to us, who will never be able to find love." The two smirked and drank their glasses.

Skittery was sitting at a table behind Spot's and Lexi's, watching them and wondering what they were drinking to.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been about a month after the newsies strike against Joseph Pulitzer. Everything went back to normal. Lexi's schedule was to wake up before all the boys did and go get washed, changed, and ready to go. She would wait downstairs for them as they were getting ready for the day to carry the banner. As they all came, stomping down the stairs, she'd walk with them to the distribution office to buy her papes.

"How many?" Mr. Weisel would ask each newsies. Lexi usually took about thirty newspapers if the headlines were good, but on this day she had to hawk the headlines. She only took twenty. Mush got his papes and headed down to the Battery with Lexi to start the day. Unlike in the more urban parts of the city, the harbor was the perfect place to start selling early. Here, the fishermen were up early and ready to get on their boats and read the paper, while in the other newsies, like Skittery, had to wait a while before people came out on the streets to get their papers sold.

The sun was rising over the shore and it was beautiful. Lexi always stopped for a little while to witness the magnificent sight- to see the pastel colors turn brighter as the sun rose higher. Then she continued calling out headlines. When she was desperate, she'd put on a show, just how little ol' Ten Pen used to do. She'd tie up newspapers with string and start juggling them and doing all sorts of tricks. When she was really, _really_, desperate, she'd use her feminine ways to her advantage. For example, she'd flirt with a few boys to get them to buy her papers. Mush did this too with the girls, but he doesn't mean to. He's just such a ladies man. But today, wasn't too desperate of a day.

"Ship takin' immigrants to Ellis Island sinks! Hundreds die trying ta live da American Dream!" she yelled out. Many people came up to her and bought her papes.

"Nice headline," someone spoke. She spun around. Skittery was leaning against a wooden pole.

"Thanks, Skitts. What're ya doin' down here? You'se supposed to be in Central Park," Lexi asked.

"I'se sold all mine already."

"Wha'? How? These headlines are no good."

"I hawked 'em. Common sense, Lex." He smirked.

"Man, you must've been good at that. What headline's did you use?"

"Uh, let's see," he said as he started walking towards her, " 'Suspect found in the killin' of da murder in Harlem,' 'Pulitzah found cheatin' on his wife,' things of that nature." Lexi laughed at that one.

"I should use those," she said in between laughs. And she did. She sold all her papes before lunch time. Twenty only, but still enough for some food and a place to stay.

The two of them sat down on the edge of a dock. Knowing Skittery, Lexi knew he was still a bit shy, but she didn't mind. She liked the company. It must have been an hour or so, because Mush came from his selling spot to go get Lexi and pick up lunch at Tibby's and head for Central Park to eat and watch Skittery play with the little kids. But today was different. He found the two of them sitting and the end of a dock and they were having a good time. He decided to leave them alone and go to Tibby's himself, but his footsteps, hard on the wood, were too loud. The two turned around.

"Oh, hey Mush. Just gimme a second here and we'll all go to Tibby's." Lexi said as she turned around to see Mush leaving the docks.

"Naw, it's alright, Lexi. I'm goin' ta uh, meet Cassie. Yeah, I came to tell you dat we'se gonna have lunch together today. Sorry." Lexi could see he was covering for her, and she was grateful.

"Okay, see ya latah." She said, and turned back to Skittery, who waved at Mush. "You know, we could eat ova' heah. There's dis place nearby where and we can buy food and come back heah to eat. If you wanna," Lexi offered.

"Sure, I don't mind dat," Skittery agreed.

The two got their food and headed back to the same exact dock where they were sitting before. They enjoyed their food and even fed some of the ducks in the water. Lexi went to go feed a duck, when she leaned in too close that she lost her balance and almost fell in! She could swim, but Skittery thought fast and grabbed her around the stomach. He hoisted her up with his strong arms. Lexi did not expect this to happen, but again, she was grateful it did.

"You okay?" Skittery asked her.

She breathed deeply. "Yeah. Thanks, Skitts."

Skittery took off her hat and pushed the hair out of her face. He gave her a miniscule smile. Lexi thought it was so sweet.

"You know I can swim, right?"

"Yeah, but then you'd be all wet, and dat's no good if you'se all wet," he explained. Lexi gave small laugh. She noticed that his hand was still on the back of her head. She leaned in a little.

"Oi! Lexi! I needs ta talk to ya!" Mr. Conlon was running up to them from a distance. Skittery looked a bit confused, as did Lexi. What was all the fuss about?


	3. Chapter 3

The harbor was great to look at. A perfect spot for romance, Skittery thought. The water wasn't the cleanest in the world, but that didn't matter at all. When Spot came running up, calling Lexi's name, Skittery knew his chances were gone for the day.

"I'll be right there, Spot!" Lexi called to him. She turned to Skittery. "Sorry, I'll be right back. She got up and ran up to Spot. Skittery turned his head, looking back at the water, watching the small waves ripple over each other.

"What's da matta'?" Lexi asked.

"It's Macy. You'se gotta help me get her back before she goes off to marry some guy she doesn't even know!"

"Well, how's I supposed to help?"

"I was thinkin' you could make her jealous. Either dat or I have ta soak dat guy when he comes to pick her up."

"Spot! You can't soak her husband-ta-be! That'll only make her feel sorry for the guy. Okay, so I'se thinkin' your foist plan's better. What do I have ta do?"

Spot handed Lexi his key. Just wear dis an' meet me at your end of the Brooklyn Bridge tonight after all the boys are asleep. Okay?" He took spit in his hand and held it out.

"Yeah. Got it." Lexi spit in her own hand and shook Spot's. Spot left her to go back with Skittery. She felt kind of bad, a bit ashamed for doing something like this, but she told herself it was all for the right reasons.

"What'd he want, Lexi?" Skittery asked her as she came back to sit next to him.

"We made a deal. I'se gotta help get his goil jealous so that she doesn't go off marryin' the wrong guy." She explained to Skittery as she showed him Spot's key. Skittery knew Spot only gave that key to Macy or whoever he was going with at the time. He felt a bit uneasy about the situation, but he knew Lexi was very truthful and always stuck to her word.

Before the sun set, they went back to the lodging house and simply hung out with their friends. Night shortly followed and all the boys were asleep. Lexi, who was unfortunately on the top bunk above Mush and next to Skittery, had to jump. She thought her landing would be hard and loud, but fortunately, she was light and her landing was softer than she expected. No one recognized it. She grabbed her hat and key and headed downstairs. Lexi literally tip-toed down the stairs, trying not to wake the boys, but Kloppman. The keeper of the lodging house. He lived downstairs, and he was a light sleeper, despite his age. Her luck favored, and Lexi was out of the lodging house, heading towards the Brooklyn Bridge. The night time isn't the best place for a female to be out and wandering about- it's not a good place for anybody for that matter. But Lexi knew where she was going and the safest way to get there. She and Mush snuck out once before to go the harbor and swim on the hottest day (and night) of that summer. But Race found out she was gone, and he and Jack came looking for them.

As she approached the lengthiest bridge in New York, she saw Spot standing in front of it. He had on his usual cabby hat and red suspenders, but he didn't carry his golden-tipped cane, nor did he have the key around his neck. And for good reason. Spot walked up to Lexi and put an arm around her shoulder. As they walked across the bridge to Brooklyn, he explained how everything was going to work out. Lexi reviewed it all in her head. They were going to a small restaurant, similar to Tibby's, but it had a bar in the back. Macy worked the late shifts at the bar. She would see Spot and Lexi come in together and sit next to each other the corner of the room. She would see them kissing. Lexi didn't like this, but it was the way things had to be done.

The walk across the bridge was long, but that was good. Spot did a lot of planning as he and Lexi walked across it. They eventually reached the restaurant with the bar, called "Irish Pub." Classic, is what Lexi thought of the name of it. Spot was Irish, as were most of his boys. 'That's probably why Macy took this job. To see Spot at night,' Lexi thought to herself.

"How'd she get a job workin' at a pub?" Lexi didn't think it was possible for a sixteen-year-old to work at a place like this.

"She told her boss she's eighteen. And besides, she has her ways of wooin' people. Ya know?" Spot answered as he opened the door for Lexi. She followed him to the table the "designated table."

Macy came up to them. "I see you're one to move on quick, Spot. What can I get you two?" She said as she looked at Lexi and down at the key she once had around her own neck.

"Gimme the usual. What'd you want, babe?"

Lexi never drank. She felt that drinking was bad and made even the nicest people into scoundrels if they had too much, but she chose something light anyway. She had to keep up the act. She thought that if she got a little drunk, it might help her keep up her act, even.

Macy stepped behind the bar and got them their drinks. She looked up over at Spot and Lexi. They were talking loudly about the stupidest things. She thought they were awful close, sitting next to each other, and she didn't like it one bit. She walked back to their table and placed their drinks on the table. They disregarded her presence. Macy felt slightly hurt by this. She frowned and went back to work, serving a few more customers.

"Great, she's upset," Spot whispered in Lexi's ear. They both smirked and took a few sips of beer. Lexi felt the alcohol stinging in her throat. She could smell the harsh scent of it through her nose. 'How do people drink this stuff?' she asked herself. Lexi then thought of her Manhattan newsboys. They would be ashamed of her if they saw her doing this. She could imagine Race yelling, "What, are you outta' your mind?" and Mush frowning, telling her that she knew better. She could see Blink, Crutchy, Jack and David shaking their heads and the little news boys that look up to her as a mother, all stricken and shocked. She could picture Skittery. He would be hurt, devastated. It wasn't just the drinking, it was seeing Lexi with Spot in a bar, so close to each other. But that would only be true if he even liked her.

Lexi gasped. Spot reached for her and stared kissing her. She didn't know what hit her. She, meaning they- both Lexi and Macy. Lexi knew in her heart that this was wrong, but she continued kissing Spot, for his and Macy's own sake. Macy looked straight at them from the table she was cleaning up. She was horror-stricken. She knew Spot had many girls in his life, but she knew that she was the closest one, and she never actually saw him kissing his other girls. Macy dropped the glasses she was holding, and they shattered on the ground. Lexi broke apart from Spot and looked over at Macy, who was running to the back of the building.

"Oi! Macy, girl, what'd you do that for?" Her co-worker, Patrick asked from behind the bar. She ran out the back door of the building.

Lexi looked at Spot. He said with a smile, "The damage has been done."

"And now it's up to you to fix it, Spot," Lexi finished in a serious tone. "I'm goin' now." She took of the key and handed it to Spot. She left, leaving him to pay the bill and patch things up with Macy.

The walk back to Manhattan was like a guilt trip for Lexi. She liked Skittery, and now she felt that she had messed up her chances of being with him. It was a good thing that she didn't drink too much, or she would have to skip working the next morning, and her friends would be worrying over her for having a hangover. Which she didn't. Lexi crept back up to the lodging house and changed her clothes. She fell fast asleep, despite all the things troubling her in the back of her mind. 


	4. Chapter 4

People were talking, running around, getting ready for selling. Lexi pried her face from her pillow and groggily got up from her bed. Forgetting that she slept on the top bunk, she fell flat on her bottom and hit the floor hard. Boys everywhere were laughing at her. She turned a shade of red under her skin and felt very embarrassed.

"So, how'd you sleep, Lex?" Mush asked her as he put on his shirt. She was usually the first one to get up, but not today.

"Not too great, Mush. Didn't get much of it last night," she replied. Mush's eyes narrowed. Lexi avoided his gaze. He knew something was up. Lexi was fond of sleeping. Once she hits the bed, she's gone. But Lexi only got a few hours of sleep, and Mush didn't know that. Yet.

Lexi got up and went into a separate room to change. When she came back, almost all the newsies were already downstairs, heading for the distribution office. She ran down the stairs to catch up with them. Lexi rubbed her eyes, trying to wake up. The headlines were the same as the day before, so she ordered the same amount as the day before. Twenty papes should do the trick. She walked over to Mush, who already bought his newspapers and was talking to Race and Crutchy. She looked over at Skittery who was still in line to buy, and he looked over at her. He wondered why she was so tired. Lexi quickly looked away, feeling that Skittery was trying to read her just by looking in her eyes.

Mush took Lexi's arm and they walked down to the harbor. They looked out in to the water and watched the sun come up.

"What's with you, Lexi? Why's you still asleep, huh?" Mush asked from out of the blue. Well, not really.

"Huh? Oh, well, I couldn't sleep well. I told you that already."

"What'd you have a nightmare or somethin'?" He was dying to know. Mush was starting to worry over her.

"Alright, alright! I'll tell ya!" Lexi screamed, giving up after he asked a third time. "I went to Brooklyn last night."

"You what? Lexi!"

"I know, I know, it be dangerous goin' on me own, but I'se promise I was careful."

Mush couldn't believe his ears. "You know betta', Lex." She was fearing those words. And there they came, right out of her best friend's mouth. "And what about Skittery? I thought you'se in love with him or somthin'."

"Mush! I'm not in love with him! It was just a simple crush. Barely that."

"You keep tellin' yourself that then." Mush said as he walked to his selling spot, on the other end of the docks.

Lexi was puzzled. What did he mean? Was Mush thinking that her chances with Skittery were over? 'It was just one night, and it wasn't even real.' She said to herself throughout the day. Besides, no one knew what she had really done last night except for Mush. And she had told Skittery that she had to help Spot, but he didn't know any details. After she sold all her papes, Lexi headed towards the other end of the docks towards Mush. To her surprise, her brother, Racetrack, was standing with him and they were talking. It looked like Mush was under questioning.

"Mush, you gotta tell me what Lexi did last night. Look, you and I know betta' than anyone dat when she fell outta her bunk like dat she hasn't been sleepin' too well. What'd she do, Mush?"

"Maybe you should ask her. I ain't the right one ta tell you anything, Race."

"Ask me what?" Lexi asked, though she knew quite clear what it was her brother wanted to ask her.

"Where were you last night? You'se been real tired this mornin' I noticed,"

"Walk wit me, Race," Lexi said as she took her brother's arm and spun him around in the opposite direction. "Mush, I'll see ya at Tibby's."

Mush shrugged his shoulders and left. Lexi and Race walked around the Battery as she explained what happened the previous night.

"Oh God, Lexi, how could you be so stupid?"

She was taken aback. "Stupid? Why am I stupid? I was helping him, Race."

"Yeah, and you'se also helping the chances of you gettin' hurt!" Race kicked at an empty glass beer bottle. His mind was spinning. He was furious, with his hands balled up into fists and shoved down his pockets. Brows creased, he was staring at the ground where he kicked the bottle. "Lexi, you're me sista' and I love ya.

I don't want no one usin' you, ya heah? No one."

"I'm sorry, Race. I really am. I do feel stupid. And ashamed. I know I could've been hurt or worse."

Race looked up at her. He took his hands out of his pockets. With one hand, he rubbed her left cheek gently. The other hand, he placed on her shoulder. "I love ya, Lexi." He then kissed her on the forehead and gave her a big hug.


	5. Chapter 5

They walked back to Tibby's together. Brother and sister. Lexi promised Race that she wouldn't do something like that ever again. In the restaurant, they took a table with Mush, Crutchy and Blink, and Boots, a younger newsie. All of them had finished selling all of their papers, despite the bad headline. After lunch, they headed towards Central Park. Lexi got butterflies in her stomach. For what reason, she did not know.

The leaves on the trees were still green. The temperatures were cooling down and September was coming just around the corner. As they approached the benches where they usually sat, Lexi's butterflies got worse. Skittery was lying down on a bench, two away from theirs, smoking a cigarette. Lexi turned around and tried to focus on the game of poker Race, Boots and Mush were playing on the ground, trying to forget about her uneasy stomach. Blink and Crutchy were talking about a girl they saw on the streets on the way to the park.

Lexi heard a soft, faint voice say, "Excuse me, may I sit here?" She turned to see a young girl, about her age, looking down at Skittery with soft, warm eyes. They were grey, but they weren't cold. Her hair was honey blonde and her skin was light. Skittery got up and moved aside to give her room to sit. Lexi's butterflies only got worse from then on. She was pretty and she was classy, but she never seemed to boast about it. That girl was modest. Lexi continued to listen in, which she also felt bad about.

"My name's Mary," she introduced herself as she put out a hand.

"I'm Skittery," he said as he shook her hand with a smile on his face.

"Are you a news boy?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah. Where're you from?"

"I moved from Pennsylvania just the other day. I live close by."

"Pennsylvania?" Skittery asked with a laugh. Mary laughed along with him.

"I was in finishing school there."

"Oh, got'cha. What's your age? You'se look too young to be done wit that stuff." He dropped his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it.

"I'm seventeen. How old are you?"

"Same."

"Mary, dear, it's time to go to Jane's for tea!" A lady who looked just like Mary called.

"Oh, that's my mother. I have to go. It was nice to meet you Skittery. Save a paper for me tomorrow?" Mary said as she got up from the bench.

Skittery looked up at her and raised his eyebrows. "Shoah. I'll see you around." He watched her leave. He went back to lying down on the bench.

Lexi got up and walked around a bit. She didn't know what to do. She didn't feel good, so she decided to go back to the lodging house and sleep. She left the boys and headed back. Lexi weakly climbed up to her bunk and just laid there, for what may have been an hour or more. She didn't cry because there was nothing to cry about. She didn't punch the pillow because there was no reason to be angry. She just laid there on the bed.

Skittery saw her leave. He had no clue why, but he saw her leave. He got up from the bench and walked over to Race and the rest of the boys.

"Hey, do you guys know where Lexi's headin'?" he asked them all. They all looked at one another, smirks slyly coming on their face.

"Not sure. She said she wasn't feel' too well. She might'a gone back to da lodging house," Blink answered.

"Heya, Skittery. Come wit men, I'se gotta tell you somethin'," Race got up from the ground and his game of poker that he won once again. Mush looked at Racetrack Higgins like he was crazy. Blink and Crutchy were giving him looks as well. If Race was going to tell Skittery about Lexi and her feelings for him, then they'd all be in trouble. Mush was more worried than the rest of them. He had a feeling that Race was going to tell Skittery about Spot and Lexi.

"Okay, where're we headed, Race?"

"Just walk wit me, Skitts," he said as he patted his shoulder. They walked on a pathway, leading to the other end of the park. When they were out of earshot, Race spoke up again. "So, do you know where Lexi went last night?"

Skittery looked surprised. "No. Where'd she go? I didn't know she was goin' anywhere in da first place."

"Yeah, me neither. She went to Brooklyn."

"By herself? She could've gotten hurt!"

"I know, I know. I made shoah she learned her lesson. That's what big bruddas do," he said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"She told me she had ta help Spot out wit somethin'. Was dat why she went?"

"Yeah, dat's why. Spot wanted his goil back, and Lexi was the key to his success."

"He used the poor goil," Skittery said with a tone of anger in his voice.

"Yeah. He did. You know what they did?"

Skittery was horrified on the inside, but outside, he looked calm and didn't show it. He swallowed and asked, "What'd they do, Race?"

"He bought her some beer and they started makin' out in da bar where Macy, dat goil, worked." Race said it all slowly. He had a feeling that Skittery's heart was being crushed.

"Oh," he simply replied.

"You like her? Lexi I mean."

"What makes you think dat, huh?"

"Oh, nuttin'. It's just da way you look at her, da way you act around her." He paused. "Do ya think I would've told you any 'a this if I didn't think you liked her the slightest?"

Skittery looked at Race, expecting him to say more, but he was silent. "And, does Lexi- does she, ya know- is she sweet on me?"

Race gave a small chuckle. "Dat's one way ta put it." And at that, he turned around and headed back towards Mush and the rest of his friends.

"You didn't do what I tink you just did. Did ya?" Crutch asked with concern as Race returned. Race took out a cigar from his vest pocket, lit it and blew smoke rings in Crutchy's face, making him cough a little. He didn't answer the question.

Racetrack looked over at Skittery, who was leaning against a tree, thinking of what he should do next. So Lexi _did_ like him. How long had he been so blind? Skittery was debating on whether he should go to the lodging house or not. No one would be there, really, so he'd could spend some time with her alone. It was decided. Skittery ran down the pathway, passing Race, Mush, Blink, Crutchy and Boots. He eventually made it to the lodging house. It was quiet. Was Lexi asleep or not? Quietly, he climbed up the stairs and made it to the bunk room.

Lexi was lying on the top bunk, her back facing the door. Skittery went over to her and shook her shoulder.

"Lexi. Hey, you'se awake?" he asked softly.

"Hey, Skittery. What's wrong?"

He sighed and got up on his bunk, next to hers. He let out a sigh. "Now, I don't want you killin' nobody, but Racetrack told me about you 'n Spot last night." He saw Lexi's eyes get big for a moment.

"And?"

"And he kinda told me that you're sweet on me. Dat true?"

'I'm gonna murder him!' Lexi was planning in her mind about Race. Out loud she answered, "Yeah. It's as true as it gets." There was silence. Then Skittery spoke up.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Lexi sat up in her bed. "What'd ya mean, 'why didn't I tell ya?' What'm I supposed to do, just come up to ya one day and say, 'Skittery, you're a great guy with great looks and a great personality and I really like you!'?"

"Shoah."

Lexi shook her head. "Why'se you carin' so much, huh? You don't like me dat much. I know it. You think that girl at the park as pretty. Don't say she isn't, 'cause she's real beautiful. I saw Blink and Crutch lookin' at her, too." Lexi was not angry, but jealous. She felt that she had no style, nor good looks, though lots of the boys would say she did. She thought it was to boost her esteem. Lexi Higgins was on the verge of crying.

"What're ya talkin' about, Lex? I don't like that goil. She's never gonna sum up ta you." Lexi was shocked. Was she hearing properly? "Lexi, every night before I sleep I think back to the foist day I got heah. I saw you and I thought you were the prettiest, most beautiful goil I eva' seen."

Lexi felt tears coming out of her eyes. Skittery got down from bed and stood right in front of her. He placed one hand on her knee and rubbed it. He took his other hand and wiped away tears rolling down her face. Her head hung low, hiding her face from Skittery. She hated it when people saw her cry, which wasn't too often in the first place. Skittery put his head gently to hers. They stayed in that position for what seemed like ages- an eternity even.

There was a loud banging of doors. "I swear I'll kill him!" someone hollered as he stomped up the stairs.

"Ya don't mean dat, Specs," the voice of Swifty came.

"No, I think I do. Bumlets betta' give me back my harmonica! That's me valuable- oh." Specs looked up from searching through Bumlets' belongings. He just then noticed Lexi and Skittery were together and alone until he and Swifty came up. "I'se sorry. I'll leave." He looked behind, him, smiling as he did and saw Swifty leaning against a bedpost, also smiling. He knew what was going on and he was happy about it.

Specs quickly found his harmonica in one of his friend's shirt pockets and he and Swifty quickly left the lodging house. As they went back out onto the streets, they laughed their heads off, thinking of what great friends they were to Skittery, ruining the moment he'd been waiting for. 


	6. Chapter 6

September quickly came as the weather got cooler. The leaves on the trees were either turning into the fall colors or falling off the trees. The waters were choppy and cold, not good to swim in anymore, but enjoyable to watch. Peddling newspapers as the newsies did every day wasn't always a fun thing to do, but it had to be done. Spot and Macy had settled things, surprisingly along with Macy's parents, and Mush and Cassie had started a romance, as well as Skittery and Lexi. Though they didn't want to make a public display out of it, all the newsies knew that the two were finally together. Most of them exclaimed, "It's about time!" or "Finally, you've gotten through ta one anudda'!"

Whenever there was a crowd, they would act like nothing was going on between them, but when they were alone, which Skittery hoped would be a lot more often that it usually was, they'd have so much fun together. Their one place of promised privacy was the docks where Lexi sold with Mush. None of the other newsies ever came to the Battery except for Mush, but he was always preoccupied with his new girl, Cassie, and was happy about it.

Lexi and Skittery hadn't kissed yet, but didn't mind it much. They were just really happy to get through to each other and be together. Every once in a while when Kloppman checked up on the young workers at night, he would find Skittery, wearing those pick pajamas of his, in Lexi's bed, one arm dangling off the end of the bed, the other around his girl's shoulders. It warmed his heart to see the sight.

September seemed like the perfect month. Nothing seemed to be going wrong for the newsies, except for the fact that Boots owed Race some money from when they were playing poker last month. Other than that, everything was going great. No problems, no worries.

"I'm gonna go to Brooklyn wit Race latah'. You wanna come?" Lexi asked Skittery after their quick and small dinner.

"Nah, you'se go ahead wit your brudda'. I'll be heah wit Swifty and Jake playin' cards," he replied. After she finished eating, Race came to their table and they headed off. Skittery watched Lexi walk out the door and into the night.

"I don't get why Spot thinks he has a chance 'a beatin' you, Race?" Lexi asked once they stepped into Spot Conlan's borough.

"Spot's not one ta give up, ya know," Racetrack answered.

"How much you'se plannin' on bettin'?"

"Not sure. As much as it takes." They entered the Brooklyn newsboys lodging house. It pretty much the same as the Manhattan house, but there were much more bunks, and Spot got his own private quarters.

The minute the two siblings entered, they regretted on coming. Standing by the stairs were none other than Oscar and Morris Delancy. Those brothers never got along well with any newsies. They were scabs and proud of it.

"And what'a you tightwads doin' around heah?" Race demanded to know.

"We're here to play. What else, Higgins?" Morris answered with a sneering tone. He looked over at Lexi and said, "Such a pretty thing like you shouldn't be wandering around at night in a place like this." Lexi narrowed her eyes. She felt Races hand squeeze her arm. She wasn't afraid of the Delancy brothers, but she knew what kind of damage they were capable of. During the strike they beat up Crutchy real bad.

Lexi didn't answer. She pushed past them, dragging Race alongside her. As she did, she felt the slight touch of Oscar's hand on her lower back. Racetrack didn't seem to notice this, but she did. Lexi spun around and punched him in the stomach as hard as she could with such little leverage and balance. The blow was good enough that it pushed Oscar against the wooden banister. He simply laughed in reply to the punch.

"Alright, ya rafter, touch my sista' again 'n let's see what happens!" Race screamed as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Racetrack!" someone called from the top of the stairs. It was Spot. He had watched the whole scene from the upper floor. His eyes were cold and grey. He owed Lexi for saving his relationship with Macy and this was just a small "thank you." Race stopped what he was doing, but continued staring straight into Oscar's eyes, telepathically tell him that he'd soak him later. "Oscar, Morris, what're you doin' heah, huh? No one invited you 'n you're not welcome."

"We heard there was a poker game here, Spot. Anyone can play in a game of poker," Morris said.

"Anyone but you scumbag scab! Now get outta' heah before I get you'se thrown out." On the spot, several of the older Brooklyn boys came in and surrounded the two cynical brothers. They finally agreed that they caused enough trouble in the lodging house and left silently. "You'se okay down there?" Spot referred to Lexi and Racetrack. He came down the stairs.

"I'm okay, Spot. Thanks for the help," Lexi answered.

"Hey, anythin' for a friend," Spot said as he patted her on the back. "How 'bout you, Race?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," he said with a slight tone of anger hovering his words. "So then, let's play, shall we?"

Spot introduced them to the other players. There was Lucky, a Brooklyn newsie who had the Irish trademark of red hair and freckles, Stunner, who came from Long Island, Angelo, a Hispanic newsboy from Queens, and Spinelli who was from the Bronx. Lexi sat in a chair in the corner of the room as she watched Race, Spot, Lucky, Stunner, Angelo and Spinelli play the game. 'This has gotta be the most intense game 'a poker I'se eva' seen!' she thought to herself as she took a look at the faces of all the boys. No one cracked. It had been about an hour and a half and the game was still on. Only Race, Spot and Lucky were still playing. The rest had folded out feeling very ashamed and disappointed that their cards were not good enough. Lucky was out a half hour later, which left Spot and Race for the winnings in the pot. There was a whole two dollars and fifty cents at stake. Lexi knew that the two of them had bluffed their way up to this point, but she was concerned as to how much they were raising. The pot reached two dollars and eighty cents. Spot looked up from his cards. Race took a drag out of his cigar.

"I… I fold," Spot said as he laid down his cards. It was a weak hand.

"Yes!" Race jumped out from his seat and quickly collected his money. He had a full house and he was extremely happy. "You're a worthy opponent, Spot. All of you'se are," Race said as he shook hands with everyone. Lexi was so relieved. It was getting late and they needed to go back to Manhattan.

The night air was cool, but the sky was clear. Over the Brooklyn bridge, the moon shined with the stars and it all reflected on the water. Lexi was in love with the sight, and she suddenly wished Skittery was with her to see this. Throughout the walk, all Racetrack could do was recount his earnings.

"Wait 'til me boys at Sheepshead heah about this!" he yelled with a laugh.

"Race, you're gonna wake up all 'a New York wit your hollerin'." Lexi tried to hush him down, but he was too excited.

"Who cares? I'm da King of New York again and everyone should know dat!" he said with a beam brighter than the lit sky.

As they reached Manhattan and turned the corner Lexi heard a soft sound. She thought she heard something light, like swift footsteps. She turned her head and looked at the alleyway they were passing. Nothing was there, or so she thought.

Skittery walked over to Race's bunk. He picked up his pocket watch and looked at the time. 1:30. 'What's taking them so long? They should've been back by now,' he thought in his head. The rest of the newsies were fast asleep, but he was restless. He had no clue where Lexi and Race were and he seemed to be the only one to care. Kloppman already came to check up on the boys an hour and a half ago. He asked Skittery if he knew where Race and Lexi had gone. "To Brooklyn for a poker game," was his answer. Kloppman shook his head in understanding and asked Skittery not to worry and get some sleep. But he couldn't. He was just so awake and became worried.

He had not changed into his pajamas yet. It was a good thing, too. Skittery, as quietly as he could, left the lodging house in search for Lexi and Race. He started taking the most logical route, heading towards the Brooklyn Bridge. Not too far off did he hear noises that sounded like yelling coming from an alley way. Skittery ran to the location and found Morris and Oscar Delancy, who, by the looks of it, had soaked Race to the point of unconsciousness and were about to hurt Lexi.

"Shut up, you filthy piece of scum!" Morris said as he put a hand over Lexi's mouth and hit her across the head. Skittery wanted to jump in right then and there, but that plan wouldn't work. He had to be more sneaky.

"And stay there, you punk!" he heard Oscar say as he kicked Race in the stomach. Oscar turned to Lexi. Morris was holding her up against the wall and he was breathing close to her ear. Lexi wasn't crying, but she was about to. Now she was scared. Oscar looked on with amusement. Skittery took the opportunity spring up behind him.

Skittery kicked Oscar in the leg, causing him to break and fall to the ground in pain. He repeatedly punched him in the stomach and square in the nose until he was too weak to move. Morris scowled and charged at Skittery, but he elbowed the other Delancy right where it hurts the most, causing him to fall back in pain. Lexi came over and kicked Morris in the face and neck, making sure he stayed down.

"Skittery! How'd you know?" Lexi asked between gasps of air.

"I didn't! I was worried about you an' Race is all so I went lookin' for ya and found this mess!" He answered as he got up and walked up to Race. Lexi's brother was most definitely unconscious. There was a big gash on the left side of his head, close to his temple and his knuckles were bruised badly, and his shirt was dirty, most likely from when Oscar kicked him there. Lexi picked up Race's hat and walked over to him and Skittery. Skittery carefully picked up Race and walked out of the alleyway.

"You shoah you're alright, Lexi?" he asked as he looked over at her.

"I'll be alright," she said faintly as she looked up to the sky.

Together they walked back to the lodging house. Skittery immediately went to the sick room to put Racetrack down on a bed. Lexi went straight for Kloppman and woke him up. Kloppman was wide awake the instant Lexi said, "Race is unconscious!" and they headed towards the bed Skittery laid him down in.


	7. Chapter 7

It was almost three in the morning. The newsies were still asleep, but were to be awakened within a couple of hours. Other than Kloppman, no one had woken up when Lexi and Skittery carried Racetrack inside the lodging house. The old keeper begged for the girl and boy to get some rest, but they refused. Lexi would not leave her brother's side and Skittery would not rest until Lexi did. They watched as Kloppman cleaned up and covered the gash in Race's forehead with strange-smelling liquids and patch up some areas on his arms, legs, back, and stomach. It was gruesome, both the way Race looked and the way Kloppman tried to fix him up. Skittery couldn't barely stand to watch what he was doing half the time. He'd look across the bed at Lexi, who never once tore her eyes from her brother. She didn't flinch, but she was scared. She didn't sleep, but she was tired. She didn't have the power to help Race, but she kept on fighting for him. Skittery looked down at the ground. He wanted to know what Lexi was thinking. He was worried about her more than he was of Racetrack.

"He'll need to stay in this bed for a few days, no working. He'll wake up soon, I promise you," Kloppman said at three in the morning. "Please, Lexi, Skittery, get some sleep."

"I'm not goin' anywhere, Kloppman," was their simultaneous answer. All he could do was sigh. "Well, when the others wake up, keep your mouths shut. I don't want anybody comin' in here. Race's going to wake up to quiet, not to a crowd of people in his face." At that, he left to get what was left of his usual seven hours of sleep.

Skittery looked over at Lexi again. "You'se should really get some sleep."

"I told you, I'm not sleepin' till my brudda's awake. I ain't sellin' today." Lexi held Race's hand in hers. She broke her long-lasting gaze at her brother's face and looked up at Skittery's. His hair was messier than it usually was. He had huge bags under his eyes, and he was trying to hold a weak smile. Lexi looked over at the clock. She did not notice the time until now. Looked out the small window at the end of the room. Dawn was coming soon. She didn't know if she was picturing it in her head or if it was real, but she could see faint colors of pink, purple and blue floating in the sky. She was tired, and she could feel sleep coming over her. Lexi tried not to give in, but her eyes would not obey. Still holding Race's hand, she rested laid down her head on top of theirs and fell fast asleep. Skittery saw this and thought that it was awful cute. He slouched down low in his chair and went into a deep sleep as well, knowing everything now would be okay. Race just needed to hold on for Lexi, and everything would be fine.

A couple of hours later, it was five 'o clock. Kloppman forced himself to get up out of his bed and wake the newsboys. There was no need to be quiet about it. While he passed by the sick room, he saw Lexi and Skittery fast asleep on both side's of Racetrack's bed. And besides, he needed to act like nothing happened.

"Wake up, Cowboy! Stop dreamin' of sellin' papers, go out there and do it!" he shouted. "Boots! C'mon, now! Sell them papers!" With the usual moans, one by one, they all woke up for yet another day of selling newspapers to New Yorkers. Kloppman walked over to Mush's bed. He saw that the poor boy looked confused as he spun his head around the room in search of three significant persons.

"Mush, why don't you get dressed and come with me before you sell your papers. I know what you're wonderin'. There's no worry," Kloppman reassured him as he shook Bumlets awake. Mush nodded his head and quickly got dressed. A few minutes later, he found himself in front of the counter, where Kloppman was counting off the boys as they went to sell.

"'Morning, Mush! What're ya waitin' for? Let's go get our papes," Crutchy greeted him as he hobbled down the stairs, followed by Blink.

"Where's Lexi 'n Race, Mush? And Skittery, too," Blink asked as he helped Crutchy down the last step.

"I was just gonna ask ol' Klopp about dat. You'se go ahead an' get your papes. I'll catch up wit ya," Mush replied. Crutchy and Blink were the last two to leave the lodging house and head for the distribution office. Mush noticed that Jack was standing at the doorway.

"Ya heah ta find out what happened wit Lex, Race 'n Skittery, too, huh?" Jack asked him. Mush thought that his tone of voice was a bit grave and serious.

"Yeah," he answered faintly. He was feeling uneasy and nervous. So many questions were running through his head. Mush turned back around and saw Kloppman come out of the sick room.

"Follow me, you two," he simply said, turning back into the room. Mush and Jack followed him to find three people sleeping soundly. Or what looked like three people sleeping soundly. Lexi was still holding on to Racetrack's hand. Skittery's head was tilted all the way back, his mouth open, and hair still a mess. One arm was hanging off to the side, the other laying across his middle. Racetrack still looked as disheveled as Skittery's hair, but, as Kloppman saw it, improving in health. All Mush and Jack could do was stare with an open mouth.

"What happened, Klopp?" Jack finally asked.

"Racetrack and Lexi went to Brooklyn to gamble with Spot. They came back late and on their way back they ran into Oscar and Morris Delancy," the old man answered.

"And what 'bout Skittery?" Jack asked again.

"He was waiting up all night for them to come back, but when they didn't, he went out to look for them. He found them not too far away in an alleyway. Good ol' Skittery came just in time to save Lexi from gettin' hurt, but Racetrack was already unconscious, I'm afraid." He paused and looked at the two boys. "Skittery picked up Racetrack and carried him all the way back here."

Mush walked over to Lexi and shook her gently. At first, she didn't wake up, but the second time, she opened her eyes.

"You'se alright, Lexi?" he asked softly. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. She saw that Skittery was still asleep, and then looked down at Race. He still had not woken up. It made her feel depressed and distressed, but she had to look on the bright side of things, if there were any.

"Don't worry, Lexi, we're gonna get the Delancys back!" Jack stated as he pounded his fist in his other hand. She didn't respond to this, but she felt a bit better knowing that she could rely on good friends.

"Mush, Kelly, go sell your papers. Go on, he'll be alright when you get back," Kloppman reassured them. "Lexi, I'll let you, your brother and Skittery stay her tonight for free, because of the circumstances."

Lexi smiled and said, "Thanks, Klopp." He left the room to get her and Skittery some fruit for breakfast. She woke up Skittery, who looked dazed and confused.

"Wha?" was all he could say. Lexi let out a little laugh.

"It's alright. Hey, ya know Kloppman's lettin' us stay heah a night for free?"

"Oh, dat's real good news, dat is," he said as he got out of his chair and stretched his arms and legs. As he stretched his arms again, he rounded Lexi up into a big hug. "Ya really had me scared, Lex." His tone was soft, but full of concern.

"I'm okay, Skitts. Honest."

He gave her one good look and kissed her on the forehead. "Good."

Just then, they heard a grumbling coming from the bed. "Race!" Lexi yelled. She took his hand again and touched his cheek. "You'se awake?"

"Mhm," he mumbled. "Me head! It's achin' like crazy. What happened?"

"It was Oscar and Morris. They hurt you real bad," Skittery explained the story as Lexi tried slowly to get Racetrack to sit up in bed.

"Wow." was all he could say.

"My, my, Racetrack," Kloppman said as he came back in with the fruit.

"Hiya, Klopp," Race greeted him in his carefree way. He was back to his old self. "Thanks for patchin' me up, Doc."

Lexi, who took Race's earnings from the poker game, handed it back over to him. Race recounted the money and found all two dollars and eighty cents in tact. Skittery's eyes went wide. "Dat must've been a hell of a pokah match!" They all laughed.

Later on, the newsies came filing back in. Mush and Jack must have spread the word, and they all came in to check up on Racetrack. He loved the attention he was getting, and he loved showing off all of his earnings in the poker match against Spot and the others in Brooklyn. Night suddenly came and it was time for the newsies to go to sleep. Lexi and Skittery were back in their old bunks, knowing that Race was now feeling better, but Kloppman still ordered him to stay in the sick room for another night.

Over the next few days, Race's health improved more than was to be expected. He was back at Sheepshead, gambling away. Lexi was selling with Mush at the harbor- Mush spending his spare time with Cassie, Lexi spending her spare time with Skittery. Jack had organized a few newsies, including Spot, Lucky and the others at the poker game, to come together and let Oscar and Morris pay for what they did to Racetrack and Lexi. Crutchy happily agreed to join in and gave his crutch a few swings at the sinister brothers. All was going well again, but there seemed to be a pattern going on. It was not so easy to distinguish, but it was there. First everything would be going fine, then something bad would occur, then everything would be fine again. What was it with these repeated chain of events? No one knew, and no one really cared much about it. After all, they were newsies, and they were living in the moment.


	8. Chapter 8

September rolled on by, as did all thirty-one days of October. The temperature was dropping gradually day by day. People everywhere started to wear heavier clothing, feeling the fall chill hovering over them. Around each corner of the city, newsies were still carrying the banner. They were proud and content for being newsboys and they loved their jobs. Every few days or so, a new runaway or orphan would join the crew to sell papers and make a living. Some were as young as six years old, some were as old as twenty! The new ones experienced going to Medda's at night, hosted by the infamous Joseph Pulitzer (who was trying to get on society's good side), and they felt Spot Conlon's coldness whenever they stepped onto Brooklyn grounds without say so.

There was a new girl who came in late October. She came from a family full of factory workers and seamstresses. The girl eventually had had enough of that life. She became sick of the men in her family spending whatever money they had left on alcoholic beverages, and grew tired of her mother telling her repeatedly that she was not the perfect daughter she wished she was. So the girl ran away and the age of fifteen. Her name was Susan Hales. She had dirty blonde hair and pale skin. Her eyes were light a light blue-grey. They always varied between the two. They were very misty and mysterious. Susan, with her small bad of clothes and trinkets, fled her apartment for the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House that late October night in search of becoming one of them. A newsie. As she passed by the Horace Greeley statue, she saw one of them, a newsboy, who looked too good to actually be a newsboy. David Jacobs. He was leaning against the statue looking up at the night sky until he heard her footsteps.

"What're you doing out here by yourself? You could get hurt, miss," David asked her. He warned her of what could happen to her, just like what happened to Racetrack and Lexi just last month. Susan recognized that he didn't have an accent like most newsies had.

"I'm going to the lodging house. I want to become a newsie," she replied.

David cocked an eyebrow. He had heard that voice before. "Well, why don't I walk you there?" he offered as he stepped out of the shadow of the statue. Susan gasped in her head.

"Aren't you David Jacobs?"

David looked surprised as he looked down at his shoes. "Yeah."

"I'm Susan. Susan Hales," she introduced herself as she stuck out a hand to shake. "David, why haven't you been in school?"

As David shook her hand he answered, "My father got hurt in the factory and he couldn't find a job. No one wants to hire a man with a bad arm. So he asked me and my little brother, Les to drop school and sell newspapers until his arm healed."

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," was all she could say.

"It's alright. Really. I like being a newsie. There's just so much more to live for. You're on your own for most of the working part, but the rest of the time you're with friends and good company."

"Well, that sounds nice. Sounds like you are your own parent."

"Exactly!" David said with a smile. "Well, I'd better get Jack. He's the leader of the Manhattan newsies. He'll tell you what to do. He'll show you the ropes and stuff," David said as he opened the door for Susan.

"Hiya, Davey! Who's your goil, huh?" Kid Blink greeted as he walked up and spit-shook David's hand. Susan found it quite gross at the time, but she figured that she'd get used to it, along with other newsie rituals.

David blushed and said, "This isn't my girl, Blink. This is Susan Hales. Susan, this is Kid Blink." The two shook hands. "I'm bringing her up to Jack. She wants to be a newsie."

"Yeah, we need some more goils around heah, don't we, Lexi?" Blink turned around and Susan saw a girl sitting at a table with a bunch of other boys playing cards. When Lexi looked up and saw Susan, she gave a big smile and got up from her chair. Both girls were happy to see each other. Lexi was wishing for a long time to have another girl newsie in Manhattan, and there she was. Susan was relieved to find Lexi there, too. Another girl meant a strong bond of friendship.

"Alright, Susan, let's go upstairs. Jack's up there, he'll need to talk to you first, before you actually become a newsie," David said as he took her arm and led her up to the bunk room. Lexi, Blink and a few others followed the two.

"Well, well, well, Davey," Jack Kelly said with a smirk on his face.

"I know what you're thinking, Cowboy, and that's not it," David defended.

"So what brings you, Dave?"

"This is Susan Hales. She wants to be a newsie."

Jack got off of his bunk, where he was talking with Mush and Snitch. "So, where're ya from, miss?"

"I've lived in Manhattan all my life. All the men in my family work in a factory, all the women are seamstresses. Whenever they can, they like to get drunk and do crazy things. I go to school. Or I _used_ to go to school."

"Where'd ya meet ol' Davey?"

"We went to the same school. Then I met him as I was coming here. He was standing next to that Horace Greeley statue."

"How old are ya?"

"Fifteen."

Jack asked many questions and Susan answered with honesty.

"So you really wanna be a newsie, huh?"

Susan looked around the room. Mush, Snitch, Davey, Lexi, Blink, David, and a few others were awaiting eagerly. "Yeah, I do."

Jack spit in his hand and stuck it out for her to do the same. Susan looked from Jack's face down to his hand and spit in her own. She did so, and they shook. All the newsies around were cheering.

"Fellas, looks like we'se got ourselves a brand new newsgoil," Jack said as he put an arm around Susan's shoulders. "So, what's your name gonna be?"

"What?" Susan asked.

"Your name. You'se gonna keep the one you got or get a new one?"

Susan thought about this for a minute. If her parents even cared, they'd be out looking for her, so she'd have to change her name. And besides, most of these newsies had nicknames anyway. She thought it would be fun. Finally she answered, "Okay. I want a nickname."

"You got any ideas?" Jack asked her, and then asked the rest of the newsies. They all shook their heads.

David examined Susan closely. "It's gotta be something that describes you, whether it's your personality or something physical." He looked into Susan's eyes. They were blue-grey, almost like his. "Misty."

"Misty?" the others chanted in question.

"Yeah. Look at her eyes," David said as he gently pushed Susan towards them. She her face was greeted by the other's and they all said, "Oh!", in realization.

"Misty," Susan thought out loud. "I like it!"

"Misty it is, then! C'mon! Let's introduce ya to da rest of da boys!" Blink said as he grabbed Misty's arm and pulled her down the stairs. "Fellas, we got a new newsie heah! Dis is Misty!" The new girl waved to the boys at the table as Kid Blink said everyone's name. "Dis is Racetrack, Skittery, Bumlets, Pieater, Jake, Specs, Snoddy, Crutchy, Boots, Snipeshooter, Itey, and Dutchy. And dis heah," Blink said as the only Asian newsie came down the stairs to join the boys at the big table, "is Swifty. You'se seen him in da bunkroom."

Misty sat at a smaller table with Blink for the rest of the night. David came down and told her he needed to be heading home and that he'd see her tomorrow. Kid Blink was left in charge of informing her of the cost of being a newsie. It was five cents per night to sleep in the lodging house (luckily she had a dollar), and buying newspapers at the distribution gate was two for a penny. Lunch was always at Tibby's, one of the cheapest restaurants in the borough, and whatever the number of newspapers you couldn't sell, you'd have to "eat" or throw away. No refunds. That's why it was so important to hawk the headlines. Blink also told her about the nights where all the newsies from all over New York would go to Medda's.

"You'll meet some more goils dere," he told her. "Dere aren't much goils newsies in Manhattan, and dere aren't any in Brooklyn or da Bronx, but I'm pretty shoah Queens and Staten Island got a few. Ya know Mush? His goil, Cassie's from Queens." Blink also offered Misty to sell with him on the corner of 42nd Street and Broadway. She accepted.

Kloppman soon came to shoo all the newsies upstairs. "Hello there, missy. Will you be stayin' hear tonight?"

"For many nights, mister. I'm gonna be a newsie from now on! I'm Misty," she said as they shook hands.

"Call me Kloppman," he said with a dear smile. Misty handed him five cents and signed her name in the log book and then went upstairs.

"Hey, Misty!" Lexi called to her as she was climbing into her bottom bunk at the end of the room.

"Hi, Lexi."

"You'se gonna be okay wit tomorrow? Did Blink tell ya everything ya need ta know 'bout bein' a newsie?"

Misty laughed. "I'm pretty sure he told me everything."

"Alright. 'Night." Lexi headed back to her bunk.

Misty smiled. She felt happy that she had made so many friends in so little time. 'So this is what it's like to be a newsie,' she thought to herself before going to sleep. 'It isn't so bad.' And with that last thought, she was asleep.

Morning came early and they were all up again. Kloppman, with his usual sayings, waking everyone up. Jack, with his usual cries of protest and others joining in with him crying, "Five more minutes, Klopp!"

Lexi took Misty into a separate room from the boys, where they got dressed and ready for the day. In the few minutes that they had to talk in the room, they found out a lot about each other.

"I came heah wit my brudda when I was ten and he was eleven. Racetrack, ya know him."

"Yeah, the short, funny Italian who's good at gambling." Lexi laughed hard. "You two look alike. Except for the height difference."

"Thanks. So how long have you known Davey?" Lexi asked as she put on her boots.

"Well, I haven't really known him all that long. I've just seen him around school. That's all," she said as she fastened the buttons on her shirt. "Why don't you wear a dress?"

"Honestly, I _hate_ dresses. They're too goily for me. I do got a few skirts though. I'se wear dem sometimes in da summa' ya know."

"Do any other newsie girls wear pants?"

Lexi shrugged her shoulders. "At Medda's they do. Not shoah 'bout when they're sellin' papes." There was a knock on the door.

"Lexi! Misty! Hurry up in dere!" a voice called from outside.

"We'se almost ready, Skitts!" Lexi called back.

"Skittery?"

"Yeah."

"He's your friend?"

"More that dat, really," Lexi said as she blushed. She tucked her hair in her cap and adjusted her scarf. Misty, who didn't have a hat, pulled up the collar on her jacket. Kloppman predicted a cold spell coming and he was right. Fall was feeling more and more like winter, but most of the newsies didn't seem to mind. The girls joined the rest of the boys and they headed off to buy there papers. Misty met up with David, and he and Blink told her, like they tell all new newsies, "Headlines don't sell papes, _newsies_ sell papes."

Skittery and Lexi waited in line for their papers, standing mighty close to each other while talking to Mush and Bumlets. Once they all got their papers, they headed off to their designated selling spots. Mush and Lexi to the Battery, Skittery and his buddies to Central Park, Racetrack off to Sheepshead Bay, Jack and David and Les onto the main street, and Blink and Misty to 42nd and Broadway.


	9. Chapter 9

Clouds bigger than the size of the state of New York itself were coming into the city, now that December was here. A few flakes of snow came from the clouds and melted when they hit the grounds. The waters were getting more and more choppy and winds were picking up near the water, but the newsies still carried on doing their job. Hardly ever were there any people on the streets. Children of mothers and fathers would be sent out, wearing their thickest coats, to buy a paper or two for the family to read beside a warm fire.

Lexi and Mush were coping with the winds that gusted over them at the harbor every now and then. To Skittery's delight, he'd lead Lexi into the living room of the lodging house after each day's work, sit her down in front of the fireplace and sit himself down behind her, and wrap his arms around the girl to keep the both of them warm and toasty. To Mush's dismay, he barely ever saw Cassie with the weather being so cold and all. It was close to impossible for anyone to be walking about on the streets of a wintry New York.

On top of all the winter weather that was coming along, so were the holidays. People all around were excited for Christmas and New Years Eve. Though they didn't have the money to spend on each other, the newsies celebrated the holidays like a normal family would do, just without the presents and fancy, garnished trees or decoration. Every year the charitable nuns raised money at their church and dropped off a few turkeys and other sorts of hot food for the newsies, wishing them a merry Christmas and a happy new year. And then there was Brian Denton, who started buying extra warm clothes for some of the boys who lacked the money to buy it themselves. How thoughtful they were, thinking of them every single year. "There should be more people like 'em," all of the newsies would say.

The only interesting story in the papers today was the weather forecast for the week. Lexi still called out fake headlines. "Snow storms bury kids in Maine! All of which are in critical condition! Frost bites in places you'se wishin' you neva' had!" A few young children came up to her and gave her a penny.

"What page is that on, miss?" a young girl no older than five asked Lexi.

"Try seventeen," she said to the girl. The girl was anxious. She licked her chapped lips and started turning the pages. Lexi knew that she was probably able to count up to ten at the most. After flipping through pages one through ten, she stopped and looked up at Lexi. Her mouth was twisted and she looked confused.

"What comes after ten?" Lexi handed another little kid a paper as she laughed. She wasn't able to answer the question, because the little girls father came running up to her and swooped her in his arms. The girl gave a little shriek, but after realizing it was her daddy, she giggled. "Daddy!"

"Come on, sweet pea. Let's get you inside now. It's freezing out here, isn't it?" he said as he kissed his daughter's pale cheeks. "Thank you, miss," the man said to Lexi as he took the paper from his little girl's hand. Lexi simple smiled and watched as they walked back into their house. They were holding hands. The little girl, with her curly, blonde hair haning out from her hat, skipping with each step she took. Her father, standing tall and looking quite proud and pleased to be her guardian. Lexi felt a pang of jealousy, but only for a second. She started remembering her own father, who she barely even knew. Who barely knew her, or Racetrack for that matter.

"Oi! Lexi! You'se done sellin' yet?" Spot Conlon appeared and asked from out of nowhere. Lexi was startled and she jumped a little. The leader of Brooklyn noticed this and laughed.

"Yeah, I'm done. What're ya doin' heah, Spot?"

"Just checkin' up on things. I'se passin' by Mush just a minute ago. He's very _preoccupied_ at da moment. If you'se catchin' me drift." Lexi knew he was talking about Cassie. She must have gotten around to stopping by, even in this harsh cold.

"I take it you'se comin' wit me to da lodging house?" she asked him.

"Yep."

They walked back in the cold to the Manhattan Lodging House. There was hardly anyone in there when they reached it. Jack was sitting by the fire, a smoke in his mouth, his hands up against radiating heat of fire. David and Misty seemed to be flirting in the far corner of the room, giggling at nonsense. Kid Blink and Crutchy were sitting at the table playing cards with Race. Racetrack Higgins, of all newsies, was back early from a day's work. He was usually the last one to come into the lodging house at night.

Spot headed over to Jack and they began to talk. Lexi looked around the room in search for Skittery. He wasn't there, so that meant he was still selling his newspapers. She sat next to Race as he, Blink, and Crutchy were finishing their card game. Something was bugging the girl inside. Ever since she saw that little girl with her father.

"What's botherin' ya, Lexi?" Race asked as he piled up the deck of cards and put it in his pocket.

Lexi sighed. "Somethin's itchin'," she replied. Racetrack took her by the arm and they went upstairs to the empty bunkroom. They sat on Race's bunk. "It happened today. I'se sellin' a pape to a little goil 'n her dad shows up. They was lookin' so happy, Race."

"Not all family's are perfect, Lex," he said.

"Why'd he leave us? Why'd he leave us ta care for a sick woman when we'se just kids?" Tears were forming in her eyes, but she wiped them away. Race turned his head away from Lexi, as if trying block the image of their past. They were both silent.

"He did dat 'cause he don't know any betta'. He's just a fool. Plain 'n simple as dat."

"Do you'se think he's still alive?"

Race thought about this real hard. Lexi didn't know that their father worked for a mob boss. If he made one little mistake, his body would be lying in the bottom of the Hudson River. "I don't know. I hope not." Lexi's eyes grew big.

"You really wish dat?"

"Yeah. He doesn't deserve ta live, Lex. Afta' what he's done to us. He's da reason we don' t got a true family no more."

Lexi took all of this in. It was all true. If Daniele Higgins hadn't been such a coward, they would still all be a family. Their mother, Isabella, would have lived longer, or may have still been alive.

"Alessa," he said to his sister as he took her hands in his. Lexi looked surprised. Racetrack knew what she was thinking. No one had called her that in years. Hardly any of the newsies even knew her real first name. She gave in to the tears and let them roll down her cheeks. Her head collapsed onto Race's lap and the two of them stayed like that until some of the boys started climbing up stairs.

"Hey, Crutchy."

"Skittery! You'se lookin' for Lexi? I tink she's upstairs."

"Great. Thanks," Skittery said as he patted Crutchy on the back. He ran upstairs to see his girl. He found Lexi snug in her bed. Skittery looked up at the clock. He realized he came a little late today. He walked over to Lexi's bed and propped his elbows on the mattress with his head on top. He blew hair out of Lexi's face. She opened her eyes. They were slightly red.

"You'se sick, Lexi?" Skittery asked.

"No. Don't worry 'bout it."

"What's da matta'? You'se been cryin'?" Lexi hated it when she cried in front of people. She hated it even more when people knew that she had been crying. She covered her face with blankets. Skittery gently pulled them off of her head. "What's up, Lex?"

"Nothing."

Skittery sighed. "Okay. 'Night den." He climbed into his own bunk after she said good night to him and fell fast asleep.

The days went on like this for the rest of the year. Skittery was hurt that Lexi wouldn't let him in to her emotions. But he thought she needed her space. Lexi felt more and more guilty for pushing him away, but she wasn't able to connect. As the days got colder, she spent more and more time with Mush than with anyone else. Cassie started not showing up because of the horrible weather. Word reached Mush's ears that Cassie was seen with the leader of Queens on more than one occasion and Mush was crushed. Lexi tried her best to comfort her friend. The two of them vented out their problems to one another. It wasn't helping much.

There were only two more days left until Christmas. Skittery had saved up as much money as he could to get Lexi a gift. Bumlets, Specs, and Swifty had noticed that his mood had been off for a while, and thought it was because of "goilfriend issues." And they were right. The three of them, along with the rest of the newsies, had noticed that Lexi and Skittery weren't spending any time with each other lately. Lexi would be hanging around with her best friend, Mush, and Skittery would be found sitting alone on a bench in Central Park, smoking a cigarette. Racetrack was found in much distress. Seeing the two of them unhappy, as he puts it, was like going a year without seeing any of Medda's vaudeville shows. It was depressing. 'I gotta do somethin' about it!" he thought to himself with commitment.

It was Christmas day. Kloppman didn't bother to wake up any of the newsies on this special day. It was an option if they wanted to sell newspapers on holidays, mainly because no body gets up early, and no one cares about news on a day like this. In the Manhattan Lodging House, none of the newsies cared to get up early. They all woke up to the littlest newsboys running about yelling, "Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Now where're me presents?" Some older newsies groaned and some laughed. A few of them yelled, "I'm Jewish!," and threw pillows at them. The cheer came rushing throughout the house. Misty and Blink, who became very close friends, started singing carols, while Crutchy and Jack were holding their ears, screaming at them to shut up. Snitch and Itey ran downstairs after quickly getting dressed to greet Kloppman and see what kind of food the nuns dropped off for them.   
Lexi Higgins was woken up by her brother, Race. He kissed her on the cheek and said, "Merry Christmas, Lexi!" with that big, cheesy smile of his. He went under Lexi's bunk and jumped on Mush, who was still fast asleep.

"Aw, c'mon, Race, I'm Jewish! Lemme sleep a little, huh?" he fought.

"No ya ain't!" Race backfired as he pulled the covers off of Mush. Mush playfully punched Racetrack in reaction to the cold air greeting his body.

Lexi got out of bed and looked around the room. Everyone here was happy. Everyone here was with family. But someone was missing from the picture. She saw David, Sarah, and Les come in from the stairs and all the boys greeted them. Jack took Sarah back downstairs to have some privacy, and Les joined Boots and Snipeshooter at the far end of the bunk room. Misty ran up to David and gave him a big hug. "Merry Christmas, David!"

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Misty!" And with that, they kissed. Everyone in the room screamed and cheered them on. It startled Jack and Sarah from downstairs, they were so loud. Blink must have gone crazy, he was so happy for them. It looked like he was waiting for years for this moment to happen.

"Lexi," a voice called from behind her. It was Specs.

"Hi, Specs. Merry Christmas to ya."

"And same ta you, deah."

"Where's Skittery?"

"He woke up early and woke me up. Told me he'd be waitin' for ya at da park. He said you'd know where."

"Thanks," she said with a smile. Lexi dressed up warmly and stepped outside. It wasn't snowing, but there was still snow on the ground. Some of the boys were already outside and throwing snowballs at each other. Lexi had to jaywalk through their battle, ducking a snowball thrown by Dutchy.

"Sorry, Lexi!" he yelled from behind a pile of snow he used as a fort. Lexi laughed it off and ran for Central Park.

As she reached the bench she knew Specs was talking about, she saw a girl. Mary, to be precise. The girl smiled, her honey blonde hair tied in a low ponytail with a bow, her grey eyes shining brightly, and her light skin tinted pink from the cold. Or maybe something else. She handed Skittery a package and he took it from her with a smile. She heard a faint, "Thanks. I 'ppreciate it, Mary."

"Any time, Skittery," responded Mary and she walked away.

Lexi felt horrified. Why had she given him a present? Before she could turn away, she heard Skittery call her name. She walked over to him and sat next to him on the bench.

"Merry Christmas, Skittery," she simply said, without even looking at him.

He kissed her on the cheek. She didn't understand why he did it. "Merry Christmas to you, Lexi." He said as he handed her the same package Mary had given him. Lexi was shocked. Horrified. What was going on here?

To her own surprise, Lexi took the package and held it in her hands. "What's dis?" She asked curiously as she looked up at Skittery.

"For you. I've been savin' money all dis month ta get you somethin' nice," he answered proudly with a smile. Lexi was happy, but still confused.

"But what was Mary-"

"Just open it, will ya? I'll explain latah." Lexi did as she was told. The package was small and delicate. She opened it with caution and when she saw what was inside, she gasped. A silver necklace laid inside of the brown paper wrapping. She let Skittery put it on her and she gave him the biggest hug she had ever given him. Lexi was so speechless, she couldn't even get a "thank you" out of her mouth. "Mary's parents own dis small jewelry shop near heah. Lately I'se been at da shop lookin' for somethin' ta get for you. I'se saved over fifty dolla's in da past four months ta get dis. Worked every day for ova' a hundred days, sellin' five-thousand 'n two-hundred papers. And in da end, it was all for da betta'!" Lexi couldn't stop smiling. She was proud of him for managing his money and getting her something special.

"Thank you, Skitts." She buried her head in his chest and started to cry softly again. Skittery knew she was crying, but he also knew that they were tears of joy.

"You're welcome."


	10. Chapter 10

There were six more days- five more days- four more days- three more days- two more days- one more day until New Years Eve party that was to be held at Medda's. All of the newsies came to celebrate the new year here. Due to the many persons inside Irving Hall, the spacious room was warm and cozy. Racetrack, of all people, was the most excited to go see Medda again. He very fond of the woman. Though Race was bewitched by her beauty, he was still trying to keep focus on Lexi and Skittery sharing a moment at the strike of twelve. He had it all planned out.

New Years Eve was here. Everybody gathered into the hall and sung many songs. Some were still singing Christmas carols! But either way, they were all thrilled. As the Manhattan newsies filed out of the lodging house, trudging through the laden snow towards Medda's, Lexi kept still, waiting for her brother, who told her to wait on his bunk while everyone was leaving. He came back to her, with Mush by his side.

"What's da matta'?" she asked them.

"Why aren't you wit Skittery, huh?" Mush asked her back.

"Well, I s'pose he's wit his friends. Why?"  
"He ain't wit his friends, Lexi. We'se saw them walkin' off ta Medda's. He wasn't wit 'em," Racetrack lied. Lexi's eyes grew big with either worry or realization, no one could tell but her.

"I'se might have a clue where he's at," she said. With that, she tightened her scarf and pulled on her tattered gloves and her dark green hat, and ran for it. Mush spun out of the way, while Racetrack put his hands in his coat pocket, hunched his back, and smirked. They both knew where she was going.

Back at Medda's, Skittery was looking around for his girl. He squirmed throughout the whole crowd of people, searching for Lexi. As he went by, he saw Spot and Macy enjoying a drink at a table, Jack and Sarah talking with David and Misty, each boy with their arms around the waist of their girl, and Mush, who was wandering around aimlessly.

"Hey, Mush. Seen Cassie?"

Mush frowned. "Nah, I ain't seen her heah. You'se seen Lexi?"

"I'm lookin' for her now. Do ya have a clue?" Mush tried his hardest not to grin, looking down at his shoes and shoving his hands in his pockets. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know where she is. Maybe you should ask her brudda," he suggested. Skittery patted Mush on the back as he walked past him and headed towards Racetrack.

"Hey, Racetrack, you'se seen Lexi around heah?"

Race looked up past Skittery's shoulder and saw Mush give him a wink. "Nah, I haven't seen her heah. Maybe she needed some fresh air or somethin'."

Finally it hit Skittery. He reached into Racetrack's pocket without asking him and looked at his pocket watch. It was twelve forty-five. Skittery threw Race's watch back at him and ran out of Medda's as fast as he could. He had fifteen minutes to get to her. Central Park wasn't too long away from Medda's but in this weather, who knew?

When Lexi reached the park she didn't find a boy lying down on a bench smoking a cigarette. The bench was empty. The park was dimly lit. Lexi tried her hardest to look around her. She saw some couples sitting on other benches, minding their own business and awaiting the countdown. Not too far off, there were a few adults no older than forty having a small party of their own out in the cold. Lexi, not knowing what to do, sat at on the bench. She became confused. Did Racetrack and Mush trick her? What an awful thing to do? How could they? She thought they loved her. What on earth was going on here? Lexi was getting fustrated. She felt betrayed by her own brother and her best friend. She felt like everyone she had known was out to ruin her. Like her father had ruined her family. Hot tears slid down Lexi's face. She didn't care to wipe them off. She wasn't shaking violently, or crying loudly. 'No one would notice. No one would care,' she thought. She sat for several minutes like this until she heard the sound of feet hitting the snow on the ground. Panting followed the halt of running footsteps.

Skittery bent down as he tried to regain his breath. Puffs of smoke were coming out of his warm mouth and into the crisp, cold air. "Lexi?"

Lexi turned around. She didn't say anything, but just looked into those light brown eyes. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to think. All she could do was gaze. Skittery sat next to her on the bench. They were silent. Skittery looked down at the snow on the ground as Lexi kept looking at him. "Say somethin', will ya?" he begged.

"I don't know what ta say. I'm confused," she said timidly.

"I think it's your brudda. Racetrack set us up or somethin'."

Realization hit Lexi again. She grinned at the thought of how much though Racetrack put into this night. Skittery looked at Lexi. He saw tears glazed on her cheeks as he tried to wipe them away. "Don't be upset."

Lexi let out a big sigh. "I'm not upset. I'm happy you're heah." Skittery kissed Lexi on the top of her head. She laughed as she pulled him into a hug. As if it were magic, new snowflakes started to fall. A snowflake fell on Skittery's nose and the two of them laughed even more. Lexi then took his bare hands, blew on them, and rubbed them with her own.

"Ten!" they heard the party shout.

Lexi looked up at Skittery as she continued rubbing their hands together.

"Nine!"  
Lexi broke her gaze as she focused on their hands. Skittery was still looking at her gorgeous face.

"Eight!"  
Lexi brought his hands up to her face and blew on them again.

"Seven!"

Skittery did some planning in his head.

"Six!"

Lexi continued warming his hands, but Skittery suddenly pulled them out of her grasp.

"Five!"

He pushed away some of the dark brown hair that was covering her face.

"Four!"

She playfully turned her head so he wouldn't be able reach for her hair.

"Three!"

He pulled her hat off, letting all of her hair fall to her shoulders.

"Two!"

Lexi took in a deep breath as Skittery put one hand in her hair, holding her head and another hand on her back.

"One!"

They both leaned into the best kiss they would ever share.

"Happy New Year!"

Fireworks went off in the distance. They were visible over the trees as they lit up the night sky. The small party cheered as they all hugged and kissed and clapped and jumped up and down.

Lexi's arms were around Skittery's neck. She did not want to break this kiss. In her mind, she prayed for all of this to be real. From the softest touch of the lips to this, she would cherish the moment forever. Lexi felt that this was a million times better than kissing the toughest newsie in New York. Skittery finally let go and looked into those chocolate brown eyes. His smile was bigger than Lexi had ever seen it. Hers was just as big. "Happy new year," they whispered to each other. Skittery kissed Lexi on the forehead and they pulled each other into a hug. "I've been waiting years for dis ta happen, Lexi," she heard him say to year. "Years." They both agreed that it was most definitely worth the wait.


	11. Chapter 11

January 1, 1990 at twelve o'clock in the morning- the moment Lexi and Skittery would share until the end of time. The two were inseparable from then on, whether they wanted to be or not. Lexi had told Mush about her kiss with Skittery. Mush then told Kid Blink, who told Crutchy, who told Boots, who told Snipeshooter, who told Les, who told David, who told Jack, who told Spot, who then told Racetrack. Why he was one of the last newsies to know about his own sister's events in the park, no one knew. But it didn't matter much once the words, "Ol' Skitts finally did it!" came out of Spot's mouth. Race was ecstatic. More than that, really. Though the boy was so astonished to find out that he was the last to know, he was so thrilled that his plan worked. Skittery, too, told his friends and they were just as excited to hear it as Race was. Being a newsie, one must know that news travels pretty fast. And by the middle of the month of January, almost all of the newsies in New York had heard about the couple. And if they ever had the chance to see them, whether it was on the streets, in the park, or at Medda's, the other newsies would howl or whistle, leaving Lexi and Skittery to hold hands tighter, blush, and smile bashfully. They liked attention, but maybe not so much attention.

The days were still cold with snow still falling to the ground. Less and less people came outside for a walk around the city or around the park. Newsies huddled together on the streets, competing to be the first in a group to sell all his or her papers. The cheery boys of Manhattan still liked to play in the snow, especially the younger ones. But when Kloppman called them in before they could catch a cold (which wasn't long after they started playing) they followed their orders like obedient soldiers and went inside to warm up. The waters in Brooklyn remained frozen for the past months, so the Brooklyn boys stayed inside their own lodging house near the warm fire. Spot tried to come and visit the other boroughs of New York to keep up his job as a leader, as did Jack, but with the weather going on like this, it was barely possible.

One day, when falling snow was not present, Racetrack stepped out into the streets and lit a cigar. He viewed the scene in front of him, breathed the crisp, cold air in deeply and let it all out. He walked over to the square and sat on the cold, cobblestone ground with his back against the Horace Greeley statue. He again viewed the scene around him while taking a drag from his cigar. Misty was sitting on a bike rack, swinging her legs while David, Blink and Crutchy were standing around her making jokes. A few of the little ones were trading buttons, which along with newspapers, they sold to people on the street. Race saw Mush walking towards him.

"What's good, Mush?" Race asked as Mush sat down next to him and patted his back.

"Nuttin' much. What's buggin' ya, Racetrack? You'se nevah hangin' around heah in your spare time."

"Oh, I don't know. Lot's 'a things, I guess." Racetrack played around with his pocket watch and began to speak, "Well, about last month Lexi was askin' about our father. She was askin' me why he left us. Why he'd broken up our family. Then she asked me if I'se think he's dead or not. She don't know dat he works for dis hot-shot mob boss and dat one little mistake and he's gone for good."

"So what'd ya tell her?" Mush asked quietly.

"I said I hoped he was. He deserves ta be, doesn't he?" Race looked at Mush, who nodded his head slightly. Mush believed in giving people second chances, no matter how bad their actions have been. He agreed to Racetrack only to make his thoughts float by faster. The boy needed to clear his head and so did his sister.

The bells from the church sounded loud and clear twelve times. The newsies all headed in one direction for one place. Tibby's. Inside the restaurant, the crammed together making each other nice and warm and ate their lunches. Every newsie was their save for three. Lexi, Skittery and Racetrack.

"Mush, where'd Race go?" Jack asked him as he walked into Tibby's, brushing off the snow on his boots at the door.

"He ain't feelin' too hungry. He's takin' a walk," Mush answered plainly as he sat down next to Kid Blink and took a fry from his plate.

"Hey! Dat's mine!" Blink retorted.

Racetrack was still smoking his cigar. He started walking. Where he was walking to, he had no clue. He just knew he was walking. Walking aimlessly. The heat coming from his cigar was giving him warmth. Race wasn't paying much attention to who he was constantly running into. All he could say was, "Sorry, ma'am." or "Excuse me, mista'."

Lexi and Skittery were running all around the city together. They were trying to find some place private so that they could spend some time alone. They heard the big church bells ring, or the "lunch bell" as they and the other newsies called it, but ignored it completely. They weren't hungry for food. The harbor at the Battery was too cold because of the breeze that overcomes the water. They couldn't find anyplace else except for an alleyway. It was in between two apartment buildings on a degraded, sooty little street called Canal Street. Lexi and Skittery were laughing hard at the jokes they made with each other throughout the day. One would stop and look at the lovebirds and think that they're the perfect couple imaginable (which they were, make no mistakes about that) and feel a slight pang of jealousy. No one beat Lexi and Skittery when it came to this.

In the alleyway, Skittery pushed Lexi up against the side wall of one of the buildings and began to kiss her. She did not object to the welcoming of his warm breath, and wrapped her arms around his neck, playing with the small tufts of hair sticking out from under his hat. It was funny to hear how loud they were and how quiet they suddenly became. It had only been a few minutes before they were interrupted by the slamming of a side door.

Race was still walking, still not paying attention to where he was headed. All he was trying to do was clear his mind. As he walked down Canal Street, he heard a faint thud, and the hollering of a man saying, "Well I don't need you or any of your money!" Race's heart stopped. His face got heated and his knuckles tightened in his pockets. He'd heard that voice before. He knew that voice when he heard it. He'd been hearing it for the first eleven years of his life. Daniele Higgins.

Lexi and Skittery broke apart. They both looked at the door which had been slammed shut and at the man who slammed it shut. His face was in the beginning stages of bruising and his once neatly-parted hair was now as messy as a bum's. His clothes were disheveled and each of his hands were massaging the other. He had obviously gotten in a fight with someone. Lexi took her hands off of Skittery's neck and squinted at the man as he walked in their direction. When he screamed, she noticed he had an Italian accent. But that was nothing unusual, for this part of town was mostly filled with immigrants from Italy. It was his dark brown hair and weary, dark brown eyes that concerned the teenage girl. He looked like Racetrack. He looked like her. Skittery, who looked back and forth between Lexi and the man, noticed the resemblance, too. The strange man that barged, or was barged, through the door and noticed the two adolescents staring at him.

"Is there a problem, kids?" he asked as he licked his hand and slicked back some of his hair. Skittery blankly looked at him. He wasn't sure what to say.

"What happened to ya, mista'?" Lexi spoke up.

The man furrowed his brows and said, "That doesn't concern you, miss."

The man gently pushed her to pass by. Looking forward onto the main road, he saw another boy standing there. He was dressed similar to the boy who was with the girl- cap on his head, thin jacket, worn boots. But there was something that sort of hit him like a ton of bricks. It wasn't the fact that the boy had was on the verge of crying. He _looked_ him. He really looked like him. Daniele Higgins stopped in his tracks. He looked at this boy- this newsie- and looked back at the girl and the other boy standing next to her.

"What's going on here?" Skittery asked out loud. He felt so lost in this dilemma.

"You bastard. You dirty, rotten, snake!" Race screamed to him. Lexi, finally noticing her brother's presence, noticed something else as well. This man standing right in front of her, in between her and her brother, was her father. The man that left his family for his own sake. The man who cared nothing for his love and his children. The man who deserved everything he got, including the words from his son. Lexi's eyes began to blur. She felt Skittery's hand on her shoulder, trying to support her for whatever it was she was feeling.

Daniele was stunned. Mortified that this stranger could say such a thing to him. "I beg your pardon!"

Race stuck out a finger and pointed it at him. "Get outta' heah! You get out!" He was shaking vigorously and now started to cry.

"What? Why should I?"

"I don't evah' wanna see you evah!"

"You didn't answer my question! I don't have to leave."

Lexi stepped forward. His back was facing her. "You don't get it, do ya, Daddy?" Daniele's eyes widened.

"What did you call me?"

"Oh, I'se sorry. Dat's not a 'ppropriate word ta call you," Lexi replied.

Skittery understood now. Keeping still and trying to stay out of the situation, he looked on with mortification.

"Alessa?" Daniele said in disbelief, turning from Lexi to Race. "Lino?"

"Daniele," Racetrack said with a wrath in his voice more powerful than anyone had ever spoken.

The abandoner was speechless. He couldn't believe his eyes, he couldn't believe his ears. He just couldn't believe it. He was so confused that he didn't even know if he should have been happy at that moment. All Daniele could do was look back and forth between the two. Lino, Race, was feverishly shaking still and tears were falling down his face like waterfalls. Alessa, Lexi, had a hard face, trying her hardest not to cry. She didn't understand why Race was so upset, though she believed he had every right to be. Lexi had no idea what this person was doing, running out of the side of a building in some dingy alleyway.

"What are you- where- how?" Daniele managed to blurt out.

"Our mudda'- you're wife. She's gone. Gone! And it's all 'cause you had to get your sorry ass ta leave her for your more important mob boss!" Race yelled at him.

"Mob boss?" Lexi asked.

"Yeah. Dis low-life scum heah works- or _worked_- for Niccolo Abramo."

"Abramo? I'se heard 'a him. Papes say he's da meanest tightwad in all 'a New Yawk," Skittery informingly spoke up.

"And who are you to say such a thing?" Daniele defended his ex-boss. He had no idea why he did.

"Skittery."

"What?"

"Skit-ter-y."

"What kind of name is that?"

"A nickname," Skittery said, propping up his leg on the wall of the building.

Daniele scowled at this boy's smart talk. "Don't talk back to me," he said as he got closer to Skittery. Lexi stepped in between them.

"Don't touch him! Don't even talk ta him!" Daniele was taken aback.

"C'mon, Lex, Skittery. Let's get out 'a heah." Race ushered Lexi and Skittery to come to him. They obeyed, gave Daniele harsh glances, and the three of them left the man in the alleyway with shame and regret on his mind. The beginning of this new year wasn't exactly what any of them expected it to be.


	12. Chapter 12

Lexi was more confused as ever as she stood still and as stiff as a board near the dock where she sold. The fast and past events kept replaying in her head, from the moment her father came out of that door until the moment she and Skittery had followed Racetrack out of that alleyway. For the hundredth time in her life, she felt confused, lost, and hopeless. She felt cold, and it wasn't because of the temperature on the streets. How had Racetrack known of their father's true job and why had he never said anything about it? Is that one of the reasons why he didn't care if Daniele was dead or alive? So many questions swam around in her head that Lexi was unaware of her surroundings.

"Lex. C'mon, we'se gotta go back ta the lodging house now," Skittery said as he put his hand on her shoulder. Lexi snapped out of her thoughts and gave a weak smile. Skittery knew how she was feeling. He gave her a hug and kissed Lexi on the forehead. They walked hand-in-hand in silence back to the lodging house. Racetrack had gone off to Sheepshead Bay, trying to rid his mind of all the events that played on during the day. He wasn't coming back for a while, Lexi and Skittery knew.

Mush was sitting next to the fireplace, heating himself up. The nights were cold, and long. With no heating source up in the bunkroom, newsies like Mush took advantage of the fireplace, sitting by it for hours at a time, trying to retain all the heat that could possibly be retained before burning like toast. Mush was sitting alone. He hadn't seen Lexi all day and he hasn't talked to any of the other newsies either. They were all much too happy and enjoying their time. That was odd. Why wasn't Mush happy? Even he did not know as he sat by the fire and stared into the burning embers. Breaking his gaze, he looked around the room. Jack was teaching Snipeshooter how to play a good poker match against Bumlets and Specs. Crutchy and Kid Blink were sitting on the stairs counting their day's earned work with Boots and Misty. (Misty most likely would have been with David, but he and Les went home). Everyone else was either on the streets or in the bunkroom. Either way, they were all accompanied by someone else- a friend. Mush was alone. He noticed this, of course, but he didn't want to admit it. Mush? Alone? How odd, indeed. The boy sighed, wishing it was a laugh he was letting out instead, signed his name in Kloppman's book while dropping the five cents in the tin can, and then headed upstairs to go to sleep. Right after he did dropped onto his bed, he heard the door downstairs open. Then Mush closed his eyes.

Lexi was still confused and more tired than ever. She paid her five cents for the night, as did Skittery, and they both headed upstairs to go to bed. Skittery mouthed, "'night", to Lexi and she smiled back. Weary Lexi climbed into bed and to her surprise, fell into a deep sleep. Skittery, on the other hand, took some time to take all of the events of the day in. "What the hell's goin' on heah?" he asked himself over and over again. Skittery's not dumb. He knew what he saw. It's just that he didn't understand why it happened and why it had such a big impact on Lexi and Race. After a while, he just decided to shake it off for the night and relax. He knew both Lexi and Racetrack were tough kids and they'd be just fine. With that, Skitts went to sleep.

Morning came, and the newsies were up with the sun. They all got up and did their usual routine. After having Kloppman's voice ringing in their ears, washing and getting dressed, all of the newsies, Racetrack included, headed to the distributions office. The Weasel was waiting for them, along with his to nefarious nephews, ready to exchange newspapers for money. Lexi paid for her papers and waited on the side for Mush, who was talking to Brian Denton, along with a few other boys. Denton decided to stop by and say, "hello," to them all.

Mush walked over to Lexi after a few minutes and smiled. "Ready?"

"Yeah," she said more quietly than she meant to. Mush frowned as they walked on.

"What's da matta', Lex?" he asked as he hoisted his papers up onto his shoulder.

"Nothing's da matta'. Why?"

"You'se been lookin' real stressed out lately."

Lexi sighed. She had decided to tell her best friend what happened the day before. "I saw my fatha' yesta'day." She explained everything detail, even the parts where Race was began to cry. Mush couldn't say anything. His eyes only got bigger and his mouth only got tighter.

"Jeez, Lexi, I'se sorry ta heah dat," he finally managed to let out.

Lexi pulled her coat around her more tightly as a cold wind blew. Mush put his arm around his friend as they kept on walking to the Battery. "So, what about you, Mush. How've you been? I know we'se don't really spend much time togetha' anymore, 'cause I'm always wit Skittery nowadays."

"Don't worry 'bout me, Lexi. I'm fine," he said reassuringly. Lexi didn't buy the bait. She knew how Mush felt. He was lonely. He didn't have Cassie anymore, and he didn't have Lexi to spend time with either. She needed to change this.

Each went off to their designated spots. They stayed there until around noon and then headed back for lunch. The whole time Lexi was selling papers, she was praying that Daniele wouldn't find her. She feared the sight of him and starting another argument that could possibly lead to worse. She was glad she wasn't a newsie who sold alone. She was glad that she had Mush by her side during the day. Lexi and Mush headed back from Tibby's to sell the last of their papers.

The headlines weren't that exciting today, so they mainly had to hawk them. A question that ran through all the newsies' heads was were people really buying newspapers to read these boring headlines, or was it to satisfy the newsies' needs? 'No matter,' they all thought to themselves, 'as long as we'se getting' our dough, we'se okay for da day.'

Lexi had sold all of her papers before Mush had. She sat down at the edge of the dock and looked at herself in the water like a mirror. She was keeping her mind off of last night and focusing more on herself for a change. Skittery and the rest of the newsies weren't all that wrong- Lexi was a little pretty. She smiled as she took some of her hair in her hand and examined her highlights in the sun's rays of light. Lexi liked this feature of hers. She then lied down flat on her stomach, feeling the cold wooden boards breathing through her clothes to her skin, with a fraction of her head hanging slightly over the dock and admired the rest of her face. What the hell was she thinking, disbelieving all of the boys? She was very pretty, indeed.

"Hey, stranga'!"

Lexi gasped as she heard Mush's sudden voice. "Mush! You almost made me fall off'a dis dock!" She playfully slapped Mush's arm as he got down on his stomach to lie next to Lexi. Mush laughed.

"I promise I won't do it evah again," he said with a warm smile. "So, how was sellin' today?"

"I sold all my papes. Hawked most a' them, but still, I got my money. And you?"

"Same," he replied back, feeling his breath on his hands which were placed underneath his chin. Lexi looked over at the lonely boy.

"How've you been, Mush?" He didn't reply.

Lexi moved closer to her friend, making him feel warmer and happier all the same. Then she kissed him on the cheek and put the weight of her head on him. Mush closed his eyes and said, "Thank you."

"What're friends for, Mush?"

And there the best friends lay, for what seemed to be the rest of the day, but in reality only lasted fifteen minutes.


End file.
